New species and faunistic records of Chironomidae (Diptera, Insecta) from Belize

Four new species and 11 new faunistic records of Chironomidae are described and reported from the Guanacaste National Park, a small patch of tropical forest in the Belize Lowlands, adjacent to the Belize River and in proximity to an urban area. Labrundinia belizensis sp. nov. has a unique pattern and coloration on its abdominal tergites and possesses a transverse sternapodeme without an anterior process, distinguishing it from other related species.

Cricotopus mayaorum sp. nov., and Lauterborniella solangelhugo sp. nov. are unusual in their characteristics of antenna, thorax, and hypopygium in comparison to the related species in their respective genus. The Polypedilum (Tripodura) francisae sp. nov. can be distinguished from its congeners by a broad and conoid anal point and a bulbous superior volsella that has a basolateral brush of long spine-like setae. Additionally, in this study, we report on new faunistic records of Chironomidae with both the Nearctic and the Neotropical influence.

Given the short period of sampling (i. e., a few days) in which this study was conducted and the number of discoveries, the importance of the Neotropical study of Chironomidae biodiversity can be recognized.